


I say thank you, for pulling me through

by Surreal



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: David Rose Loves Patrick Brewer, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Post-Canon, The Art of Caring for David Rose, other characters referenced
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:28:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24971566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Surreal/pseuds/Surreal
Summary: With a confused shake of his head, Patrick accepts the call. “Hey, Ronnie,” he says uncertainly. “What – uh, how can I help you today?”“Patrick, I need you to listen for a minute, okay?” Ronnie’s voice is unexpectedly soft, bordering on kind, nothing like how she normally addresses Patrick.He looks up at Stevie sharply, who picks up on his sudden apprehension. “Sure, yes. What’s up?”“It’s David,” Ronnie says gently and Patrick’s vision goes hazy at those words.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 68
Kudos: 609





	I say thank you, for pulling me through

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry! Everyone will be fine in the end. Fluffy hurt/comfort is my way of life. Mostly with the comfort part of the equation. 
> 
> Beta'd by [Anndie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anndie/pseuds/Anndie) as has been the case for the last twenty years. All remaining mistakes are my own.
> 
> Title from "Precious Love" by James Morrison.

**

“So, in your professional opinion,” Stevie says as she trails her fingers over the edge of the central display table idly. “How long do you think it would take David to notice if I turned a few of these bottles just, like, a few degrees off center?”

Patrick glances up from his laptop tucked next to the register behind the counter with a thoughtful hum. He’s used to these games with her in the store, when she’s hanging around to avoid Roland at the motel and he’s alone while David’s on vendor runs. “My professional opinion? Roughly nine seconds after he gets back.”

Stevie narrows her eyes at the estimate. “Are you taking into account The Husband Detour?”

“Husband Detour?” Patrick lets his grin widen at the term.

“Yeah,” Stevie spins on her heel and gives Patrick a knowing look, hands on her hips. “You know what I’m talking about. David is physically incapable of going more than five seconds without just – going at your face,” she waves her hand in front of her own face in emphasis. “Every time. With the kissing. It’s disgusting.”

Patrick laughs even as he feels his cheeks flush. “Okay, so taking into account the detour, I’ll stick with my original nine seconds. It’s like he’s got this extrasensory connection with everything in here and if there is one thing even slightly out of place – " The buzzing of his phone in his pocket cuts him off and he pulls it out to check the caller ID.

“That him?” Stevie asks, both of them knowing David usually calls when he’s on his way back.

With a confused shake of his head, Patrick accepts the call. “Hey, Ronnie,” he says uncertainly. “What – uh, how can I help you today?”

“Patrick, I need you to listen for a minute, okay?” Ronnie’s voice is unexpectedly soft, bordering on kind, nothing like how she normally addresses Patrick.

He looks up at Stevie sharply, who picks up on his sudden apprehension. “Sure, yes. What’s up?”

“It’s David,” Ronnie says gently and Patrick’s vision goes hazy at those words.

Patrick feels the phone slipping from his hand and Stevie jumps forward to catch it, hitting the speaker button as she does. “Ronnie? This is Stevie. I’m here with Patrick. What’s going on?” She sets the phone on the counter between them and wraps a hand around Patrick’s bicep, rubbing it briskly.

Ronnie’s voice is strong and steady. “David was in a car accident. He’s alive; I want to make sure you know that. You hear me?”

Patrick closes his eyes and takes a shaky breath, hand covering his mouth. He nods but can’t manage more than a strangled hum.

It’s Stevie who responds, eyes wide and hand gripping Patrick’s arm tighter. “Got it.”

“All right,” Ronnie continues. “Because that’s what you need to focus on. We’re on the main road back from Elm Valley; emergency services are already on their way and about five minutes out from when I called. It looks like it happened a few minutes before I came through, and from what I can tell the other car hit David’s side of the car pretty much head-on. He’s unconscious and the operator I spoke to said not to try and open the door since it’s damaged, but I can see he’s breathing.”

Patrick swears under his breath and crosses his arms over his chest tightly. “Is he – I mean, can you see…”

Ronnie’s voice sounds distant for a moment before coming back. “I can’t tell anything for sure yet, I’m sorry. The fire truck’s pulling up now, ambulance should be here any minute. I’m going to need to talk to the police when they get here, and then I’m going to call Bob to arrange for a tow for David’s car. What you need to do now is have Stevie help you close down the store and drive you to the hospital in Elmdale, that’s where they’ll take him. Don’t even think about driving yourself, you hear me? Stevie, you okay to drive him?”

“Yes,” Stevie nods firmly, though Patrick can tell her heart is racing as quickly as his own.

“All right,” Ronnie says firmly. “It’s going to take some time for the medics to get him there, and you know how long things can take at the hospital. Take a breath and drive safe. David’s in good hands, okay?”

“Okay,” Patrick manages. “Thank – thank you, Ronnie.”

“Yup,” Ronnie responds before ending the call.

Patrick takes a shuddering breath and meets Stevie’s wide eyes. “Fuck.”

“Fuck,” Stevie agrees and runs a hand through her hair. “Okay, let’s – okay. You close out the register, I’m going to get the sign and do a walk through. You’ve got your car here?”

“Yeah,” Patrick nods quickly, hands shaking but mind focused on what needs to be done. “David has the Lincoln.”

“Right. So – let’s – do that.”

Patrick hits the button to print the end of day report and by the time he’s done shoving the entire drawer into the safe without bothering to reconcile the totals, Stevie is back at the counter with her hand outstretched. He digs his keys out of his pocket and hands them over without a word.

**

Stevie’s fingers drum impatiently on the wheel but she keeps her speed at the limit. Patrick is grateful for her control because all he can think about is getting to David.

“Um – should we, like – call? Anyone?” Stevie breaks the silence halfway there. “I mean…”

Patrick swallows thickly. “I should, yeah,” he says uncertainly. “I don’t know what to tell his family without freaking them out? We just don’t know anything yet.”

“Right, so let’s do this. We wait until we have more information before calling them. But do you want to call your parents now? They seem pretty level headed and honestly, you look like you need some of that right now.”

Patrick breathes out a shaky laugh as he pulls out his phone, scrolling to find his mother in the contact list. “That actually sounds really good.”

He listens as the call rang through and when he hears his mother’s voice cheerfully greet him, he is shocked when he can only choke out a sob. “Mom…”

“Oh, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Marcy’s tone immediately changes to one of concern.

“Uh – sorry,” Patrick clears his throat and rubs his free hand down his thigh to settle his nerves. “David – he’s been in an accident, Stevie and I are on our way to the hospital now. And I just thought you….you should know.”

“Oh, my goodness,” Marcy responds quickly. “Honey, what can we do to help? You said you have Stevie with you, right?”

“Yeah, she’s driving us there. We don’t have any details yet, but Ronnie was the one that called me and she said he was alive but not awake when she came upon the accident. I’m sure it’s going to be a while before we find out anything else. I just needed…to talk to you, I think.”

There is a quiet murmur of voices on the other end before Marcy returns. “You call me as soon as you get an update, okay? Your father and I are here if you need us, we can be there in a few hours.”

Patrick closes his eyes against the sting of tears, soothed by his mother’s calm assurance. “I know, thank you. It’s almost three now, and I’m sure it’ll be several hours before we have an idea of what’s happening with David. I’ll call you tonight and let you know?”

“Of course,” Marcy assures him. “We love you, and tell David we love him when you see him.”

“I will,” Patrick answers with a tiny smile. “I love you guys too. Talk to you later.”

He slips his phone into one of the cup holders and accepts the hand Stevie reaches out to him, squeezing it once before letting go. They’re both silent for the rest of the drive.

**

The emergency room waiting area is a blur of forms, bustling activity and tense boredom. The nurses don’t have any information so Patrick is stuck next to Stevie in an uncomfortable chair, his leg bouncing with anxiety.

After what seems like hours, the door to the back opens and a petite doctor is searching the room. “Patrick Rose?”

Patrick leaps up and almost trips over the leg of his chair in his rush, Stevie trailing close behind. “Yes – I’m – that’s me, I’m Patrick Rose. You’re helping David?”

The doctor smiles at him and nods, her calm immensely reassuring. “Yes, I’m Dr. Sato. David is your husband?”

“That’s correct,” Patrick nods jerkily. “What’s happening?”

“I’ll give you a quick update and then we can go back so you can sit with him,” she says, glancing down at the clipboard in her hands. “He’s awake now, but was unconscious when he was brought in. We’ve diagnosed a moderate concussion, his left forearm is broken in two places, and he has deep bruising on his left shoulder and hip with less serious bruising on his ribcage. I understand he was in an auto accident?”

Patrick releases a shaky breath and rubs his hand over his mouth, overwhelming relief making his legs weak. He hears Stevie give a sharp laugh behind him followed by the thump of her head against his shoulder. “Oh my god, that’s – yes, he was. That’s such great news, thank you. Can we see him?”

Dr. Sato nods. “We have him in a short-term room on this floor for now until we get him admitted for observation. The initial round of scans and X-rays are done to ensure there are no internal injuries or bleeding that we can’t see. He’s got a temporary splint on his arm that we’ll replace with a cast shortly. You can stay with him now that he’s stable.”

Patrick looks to Stevie and she pushes him forward. “Go,” she insists. “I’m going to call Ronnie and let her know David’s in mostly one piece. Text me when you have a room number, okay?”

“I will,” Patrick assures her and he turns to follow the doctor down the hall toward the triage rooms.

“Keep in mind David does have a concussion so he is not fully cognizant,” Dr. Sato explains as they walk. “He’s being given pain medication and an anti-nausea treatment for the symptoms he is showing. We’re planning to have him admitted for 48 hours of observation due to the extent of his injuries – his balance is going to be affected and with the broken arm, we don’t want to risk a fall.”

“Of course,” Patrick responds as he takes in all the details of his husband’s condition. A flurry of plans begins to form in his mind but as soon as they start to put themselves in order, the doctor has stopped in front of a closed door.

“I’ll be back in a bit, but there will be someone in soon to take care of casting his arm,” she says as she pauses before opening the door. “Another round of X-rays after the cast is in place, then he’ll be moved into a room. Do you have any questions before we go in? I know it’s a lot to take in at once.”

Patrick shakes his head. “No, no questions yet. I’m sure I’ll think of some after I’ve had a chance to process but I just – I want to see David.”

“Of course,” she says kindly. She pushes open the door and gives a brief greeting to the nurse inside. “David, I’ve got someone here that wants to see you!”

Patrick sucks in a sharp breath at his first glimpse of his husband. David looks miserable, pale and glassy eyed, hair completely in disarray and clearly upset with being stuck in only a thin hospital gown. A few warm-looking blankets cover most of his body, but his left arm is propped up on a pillow. Patrick strides forward quickly, taking David’s right hand gently, careful not to disturb the IV line taped to the back. “Hey baby,” he says softly, leaning in to press his lips to David’s temple.

“Heeeeey,” David gives him a tiny smile, eyes scrunching closed as he does. “I…feel like shit.”

“Clearly,” Patrick agrees with a sage nod. “You look beautiful, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Well, that’s obviously a lie,” David grumbles. A wince follows and he rolls his head to the side to glare at the nurse on his other side. The effect is ruined by the unfocused squint he ends up using.

Patrick looks up to see that she was checking the butterfly closer positioned in the middle of the dark bruise marring David’s hairline a couple of inches above his temple. He grimaces in sympathy before meeting David’s eyes again. “I got a call from _Ronnie_ informing me that my husband was in a car accident and I’ve been waiting for hours to get any scrap of information. Trust me when I say that you are the most beautiful goddamn thing I’ve seen today.”

David rewards him with a sideways smile. “Good to know. And for the record, you are absolutely my favorite part of today.”

“The bar was set pretty low there, David,” Patrick reminds him with a glance around the room.

The doctor comes around David’s other side and they both look up at her. “Okay, David, we’re going to go ahead and get your arm wrapped, then we can get you settled in for the night upstairs. Patrick will need to step out while we do this part, since we’ll be moving you to get your arm scanned in between.” She turns her attention to Patrick. “He’ll end up on the third floor, so I’d recommend heading up to the waiting area up. Give us about an hour and a nurse will get you once David is in his room.”

David gives Patrick an exaggerated pout and squeezes the fingers still wrapped around his own. “Don’t go too far?”

“I’m not going anywhere tonight,” Patrick informs him firmly. “But I do need to call my parents to give them an update, and _then_ call your parents and Alexis to tell them what happened. And find Stevie and give _her_ an update.”

“My god,” David stares at him in horror. “Whatever you do, _do not_ let my parents or my sister come here. Under no circumstances do I want them anywhere near me when I’m…basically defenseless. In fact, can you just tell them, like, nothing?”

Patrick dips down to give him a quick kiss on the lips. “I’m calling them. I’ll keep it simple and let them know you’re going to be fine. But how do you feel about having my parents come?”

David attempts an approving little wiggle, forgetting for a moment why he’s there and hissing as his battered body sharply reminds him. “Fuuuuuuuck.”

“Yeah, maybe don’t do that for a while,” Patrick gently warns. “I’ll take that as your agreement. Be good for the doctors and I’ll be back in a bit. Think you’ll make it?”

“Unclear,” David graces him with a tired, but deeply fond smile. “Tell my family I’ll talk to them tomorrow. And tell Stevie she needs to bring me cookies. But not before noon. Because I will definitely be sleeping in.”

“Okay, David,” Patrick kisses him one more time before reluctantly stepping back. “I love you. See you soon.”

“Love you,” David murmurs in reply.

Patrick steps out into the hall but stops when he hears his name being called. “Mr. Rose? I almost forgot, the paramedics left these with us, they took them off at the scene.” She hands him a small plastic bag.

Patrick takes it, finding that it contains all five of David’s rings. He realizes in that moment that if they hadn’t taken it off, the wedding ring would have needed to be cut off when David’s broken arm started to make his hand swell. The reminder shakes him to the core that David could have died today.

“Thank you,” he whispers brokenly. He makes his way back to the emergency waiting room, spotting Stevie and dropping gracelessly into chair on her left. After a moment, he opens the bag and takes out David’s wedding ring, slipping it onto the middle finger of his left hand so it rests next to his own. He carefully folds up the bag around the engagement rings and slips it into his pocket.

Stevie reaches over and takes his right hand in a firm grip. “How is he?”

Patrick clears his throat. “He’s okay,” is all he gets out before he has to stop to brush a stray tear from his cheek. “Shit.”

Taking a calming breath, he takes out his phone. Seeing that it’s almost eight pm, he turns to Stevie. “You still have my car keys?”

“Yeah,” she checks her pockets until she feels them.

“Are you good to drive back home? I’m not leaving tonight and I don’t even know what to do about the store tomorrow – “

Stevie is already nodding and holds up her hand to stop him. “Yes, I figured you would stay. I can bring you back some stuff tonight if you need it, but you know you won’t be getting any sleep. Don’t worry about the store. I’ve got your whole key ring so I’ll put up a sign in the morning saying it’s closed for the day. We can figure it out from there. Do you or David need anything tonight?”

Patrick thinks for a moment but shakes his head. “I’ll be fine, I can probably talk the nurses into finding me a disposable toothbrush and stuff. David’s in no shape to worry about his skin care schedule and we can wait until tomorrow for anything else. Though he did want me to tell you to bring him cookies.”

She lets out a wet laugh at that. “Right, even in the hospital he’s still got his priorities.” Standing abruptly and shaking out her hands, she hums thoughtfully. “Okay, we’ve got this, Rose. I’ll take your car back into town and text you tomorrow afternoon to make sure David’s up to seeing me. You start making calls and then get your ass upstairs to keep him in line. Try and get some sleep when you can.”

Patrick stands and pulls her in for a hug, both of them holding tight for a long moment. He ignores the muffled sound of sniffling against his shoulder and the redness in her eyes when she eventually pulls back. “Stevie, he’s okay. A little banged up at the moment but he’s going to be fine.”

“Yes. God. Fuck, I should be saying that to _you_ ,” Stevie pokes him in the chest with a finger.

“Trust me, as soon as all of this catches up with me I’m going to be a mess,” Patrick confesses. “Hopefully not where anyone can witness it.”

“Good luck with all that,” she waves a hand to indicate his entire being. “Right. Okay, going now.”

“Night, Stevie.” He watched her go, then makes his way up to the third floor.

The small waiting room he finds is fortunately empty and he chooses a chair on the far end so as not to disturb the few staff that is passing through the halls. His phone is heavy in his hand as he considers where to begin. With a heaving sigh, he starts with the easiest choice and calls his mother first.

Marcy answers after one ring, which tells Patrick that she’s been waiting, probably with her phone in her hand. “Patrick? How is David, honey?”

Patrick releases a breath and closes his eyes at the comforting sound of her voice. “Hi, Mom. He’s doing okay. Um…the doctors said he has a concussion, his arm is broken and his left side is pretty badly bruised. I just got back from seeing him for a few minutes before they move him to a room. They have him on pain meds and something to help with the some of the effects of the concussion.”

“Oh, my poor sweet boy,” Marcy worries softly. “How are you holding up? Did you manage to eat anything yet?”

With a start, Patrick realizes that he’s been there for five hours and it’s well past the time he would normally eat dinner with David at home. It isn’t until she mentioned it that he finds that he’s actually hungry for the first time tonight. “Not yet, but I’ll grab something before I go to his room for the night.”

“You’ll stay with him, then?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna stay here. I let Stevie take my car back to town.”

“Well, your father and I should make it there by ten tomorrow morning, we’ve already packed up the car,” Marcy assures him. “Just text me the room number.”

Patrick feels the prickle of tears that he ignores. “Thank you,” he says simply. The boundless, unquestioning support from his parents is something he will always be thankful for.

Marcy huffs. “Like we would let you boys deal with this alone. How long do they say he’ll have to stay there?”

“Two days,” Patrick replies.

“That’s not too bad. We can talk more in the morning when we get there, okay, sweetheart? I don’t want to keep you.”

“It’s okay, though I still need to call David’s family,” he grimaces uncomfortably. He is not looking forward to how those calls could potentially go, especially with a wild card like Moira Rose in the mix.

Marcy makes a sound that reflects Patrick’s inner thoughts without saying the words out loud. “We love you, sweet boy. Tell David we love him and we’ll see you boys tomorrow, okay?”

“Love you too, Mom,” Patrick responds before hanging up.

He takes a fortifying breath as he looks at his contact list. After some debate with himself, he clicks on Alexis’s name first.

**

Two and a half harrowing conversations later (the half being the call that Johnny accidently ended in his attempt to put it on speaker), Patrick scrubs his hands over his face. It had taken all of his patience and carefully worded reassurances to make sure that David’s request was respected, that the Rose family not converge on their “debilitated” (Moira’s word choice) son-slash-brother. A promise was given to all parties to call again tomorrow and let them speak to David. He checks and sees it has been fifty-two minutes since he left David in the hands of the hospital staff and he is anxious to return to his husband.

A quick trip to a nearby vending machine produces a weak-looking cup of soup that he is still sipping at when a nurse comes looking for him. As they walk towards David’s room, she reminds him that they will be in and out throughout the night as they perform neurological tests every couple of hours, but that he is welcome to stay with his husband.

Finally, _finally_ , he is alone with David.

“Hi,” he whispers, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to David’s mouth. “How are you feeling?”

David hums vaguely and blinks up at him, clearly exhausted. “Better now,” he eventually answers. “Fucking _hurt_ when they set my arm earlier and I don’t think I’ll ever not have a headache again in my lifetime, but otherwise, loving the pain meds.”

Patrick settles in the chair next to the right side of the bed and runs his fingers over David’s bare arm. The familiar motion settles them both. “So, quick and dirty version, then you can sleep. My parents will be here in the morning, sometime after ten. I managed to keep your parents and Alexis from jumping on any planes for now, but they do want to talk to you when you feel up to it tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” David murmurs sleepily, lulled by the fingers stroking his arm. “This was kind of a shitty day.”

“Yes, it was,” Patrick agrees with a little smile. “But you got through it.”

David hums and closes his eyes. “I did.”

Patrick slides forward to press a kiss to David’s temple. “I’ll be here. I love you.”

**

The night passes in chunks of time divided between periods of something barely resembling sleep and being jarred awake by the nursing staff for a variety of reasons.

By the time Patrick receives a text from his mother informing him that they’ll be arriving in about ten minutes, he feels almost as rough as David looks. He sighs and rubs his eyes with his palms to clear his vision. The lack of sleep and emotional rollercoaster is catching up with him. David’s face is pale and pinched with discomfort, even in sleep.

Patrick reaches up and brushes the loose strands of hair off of David’s forehead. He knows the next few weeks will be hard for them both and he is going to do everything he can to make sure David feels cared for.

A faint knock on the door behind him pulls him from his trance and he turns in time to see Marcy stick her head in cautiously. “Oh! There you are,” she says quietly as she enters, Clint right behind. He closes the door softly, one hand occupied with a drink carrier from a nearby coffee shop.

Patrick is up and wrapped in his mother’s arms before he even realizes it. “Mom,” he breathes, barely making a sound. He eventually pulls away and lets her by so she can fuss over David, undisturbed by their arrival. “Dad…”

Clint quickly sets down the drink tray and reaches for Patrick, enveloping the shorter man in a well-deserved hug. “Hey, kiddo,” he whispers in Patrick’s ear. Patrick doesn’t know who is more startled when a sob escapes, buried in his father’s shoulder. The arms around him tighten and hands stroke his back in a familiar way that calms him instantly.

When Patrick feels steadier he straightens and lets go with an embarrassed chuckle, wiping at his eye with a thumb distractedly. “Sorry, it’s been a long night.”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Marcy rubs her hand over his back affectionately. “How are you holding up? Did you get any sleep?”

“Not really,” Patrick admits with a shake of his head. “I’m okay, just tired. We had David out of bed earlier this morning to take a short walk to the bathroom, got him to eat a bit of toast before he fell back asleep pretty much mid-conversation.”

“Speaking of,” Clint nods his head in David’s direction and the other two turn back to see David is waking up, however reluctantly.

Patrick moves closer to wrap his fingers around David’s arm. “Hi,” he grins, watching as David gradually joins them.

“Hi,” David answers even as he wrinkles his nose when he spots their new arrivals. “The only-after-10-am-rule only applies when I actually have the ability to make myself look human.”

“David, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it’s going to be a few days minimum before that is likely to happen.”

“That’s just uncalled for,” David grumbles as he shifts up a bit, wincing.

Marcy rests her hand on David’s leg and gives it a quick stroke. “David, sweetheart, how are you feeling?”

Patrick can tell that David is carefully considering his answer, not wanting to admit just how terrible he really feels. “Better than last night?” he finally ends up with, his lips tucking to one side.

“Well, that’s something,” Marcy smiles at him. “Oh, here – we picked up some peppermint tea for you on our way in? Patrick mentioned you were feeling nauseous and this might help.”

“Oh, yes, please,” David makes a pathetic grabby-hand in her direction. Patrick steps out of the way and pulls the little lap tray attached to the bed around for Marcy to set the cup on. David claims it and takes a slow sip, humming happily. “Mmmm, thank you, this is perfect.”

“You are very welcome, David,” Marcy says warmly. “It’s just such a relief to see you, we were so concerned when Patrick called us last night.”

David gives her a weary smile as he leans his head back into the pillow. “I’m really glad you’re here,” he confesses. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me and honestly, I have no idea how to deal with all of this. Patrick has been wonderful but he needs a break.”

“David, I’m fine – “ Patrick protests indignantly.

David gives him a _look_. “Honey, you haven’t slept, or showered, or changed your clothes, or eaten anything that could be described as actual food since you got here,” he admonishes gently.

“That’s not – “

“Nuh uh,” David cuts him off. “I love you. Now let Clint take you home and let me borrow your mom for a while. I promise to be on my best behavior. But you need a nap.”

Patrick looks at each of his parents who just shrug, powerless to argue. He sighs at having been outwitted by his concussed husband. “Fine. I’ll text your family and let them know we’ll call them this afternoon. Mom – David is not allowed to use a phone or look at any screens; it will make his headache worse. I’m taking his phone with me so I can charge it, since it’s been stuffed in with the clothes they managed to salvage. Don’t let him bully you into checking his eBay bids.”

Marcy laughs and pats her son’s arm. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Go; let us help. That’s what we’re here for.”

Patrick leans over and kisses David tenderly. “I love you. I’ll be back in a few hours, okay?”

“Okay,” David says almost inaudibly.

“Okay,” Patrick echoes and lets himself be led out by his father.

**

Three hours later, Patrick feels immeasurably better after having crashed in their bed before he even got his shoes off. When he had woken up, he discovered that his father had removed them for him and left him to rest with a blanket tucked around him. A shower and a hastily assembled sandwich later, they made their way back to the hospital with a backpack Patrick had thrown together with the basic essentials.

On the trip over, Patrick catches up on his messages while Clint drives. There is a text from Stevie letting him know she will be by after four and numerous texts from Alexis and Mr. Rose asking for updates. He responds to them all briefly knowing that soon enough he will be speaking to them either in person or over a call.

He lets them into David’s room and smiles when he sees David is awake. “Hey,” he says softly as he makes his way quickly over to plant a kiss on David’s temple.

David hums happily. “Hi,” he breathes. “Did you get some sleep?”

“I did, thank you,” Patrick confirms. “Anything new come up while I was gone?”

“They started decreasing the dosage on this thing,” David tells him, holding up his hand with the IV. “Some pain management consultant guy will come by later tonight to….I don’t know, consult I guess? For when I go home tomorrow.”

Patrick nods along. “Good, good. So, Stevie will be by in a couple of hours to visit if that’s okay, but first we really do need to call your family. I’ve been putting them off all morning but…”

David sighs. “Yeah. I do want to talk to them. Promise me you won’t let them talk you into doing FaceTime or try to get you to send them pictures. This is not a look I ever want documented and I don’t trust Alexis not to post anything on social media.”

“I promise,” Patrick says as he pats David’s arm. He turns to look at his parents. “Did you guys want to go back to the house for a bit?”

“That sounds nice,” Marcy tells him as she stands to join Clint. “We’ll leave you boys to talk to the Roses and visit with your friend. We can bring back some dinner if you like?”

“Oh my god yes please,” David groans dramatically. “That would be amazing.”

Clint chuckles. “You got it. Something light and easy on your stomach for you, mister. Patrick can text me your orders later.”

Once they’re gone, Patrick raises his eyebrows at David. “You up for this?”

David wrinkles his nose. “Is anyone ever? But yes – Alexis first, then we call my Dad’s phone. I don’t know if I can handle my mother’s lack of volume control at the moment and the speaker option will cut that dramatically.”

“You got it. I’ll put us both on speaker, remind them to keep their voices down but if you need to stop, just give me a sign,” Patrick pulls the chair closer and brings up Alexis on his contact list.

There is barely one ring before the call is picked up. “ _Oh my god Patrick you better have David there or I swear to god –_ “

“I’m right here, Alexis,” David cuts her off with a huff. “And I’m…well, okay, I’m not _fine_ , far from it, actually. But I’m here and…you know, alive.”

“ _David? You’re really mostly okay, right?_ ” Alexis’s voice goes quiet and uncertain in a way Patrick has rarely heard. He looks up to see David’s expression soften.

“Yes, I’m mostly okay,” David reassures her.

“ _But you’re still in the hospital, right?_ ”

David rests his head back on the pillow and closes his eyes. “Just until tomorrow. Need to make sure my brain won’t leak out of my ears.”

“ _Ew, David!_ ”

With a smirk, David taps Patrick’s arm lightly. “Okay, so now you know I’m alive and I still need to talk to Mom and Dad. Can I call you tomorrow after I get home?”

“ _You better,_ ” Alexis admonishes him. “ _Patrick, you’ll take care of him?_ ”

“You know I will,” Patrick vows.

“ _’Kay, so call me tomorrow. Love you guys! Love you, David!_ ”

“Love you, too,” David says in return softly.

Patrick ends the call and rubs David’s arm comfortingly. “Hanging in there?”

“Mmhmm,” David answers, eyes still closed but a tiny smile twitching at his mouth. “Just need a minute.”

“Take your time,” Patrick whispers. He lays his head on David’s shoulder and they take a few minutes to breathe together.

Patrick feels David shift under his cheek and the soft press of a kiss on the top of his head. David’s fingers catch his own on the bed. “Okay, let’s call my parents.”

As expected, the call is longer and filled with anxious questions. More unexpected is the soft expressions of concern and affection from both Johnny and Moira in turns, based on how David’s face contorts and he struggles to push back tears. Patrick keeps quiet and lets the sounds of their voices drift over him until there is a light tap on his arm. He looks up to see David’s shining eyes and warm, affectionate smile.

“Time?” he mouths silently.

David nods. “Okay, I really do need to go now, Mom and Dad. My head is starting to hurt so I should probably try and rest for a bit.”

Patrick holds the phone up until they finish saying their _love you_ s and _take cares_ and _goodbyes_. He sets it aside and turns his attention to David. “You need someone to come check your pain meds?”

“No, I’m good right now,” David reassures him. “The headache never really goes away but talking for too long makes it worse.”

“Okay, if you’re sure,” Patrick slowly strokes his fingers up and down David’s forearm. “Take a nap, I’ll be here.”

David closes his eyes with a sound almost like a purr. “I know you will.”

**

While David sleeps, Patrick fields texts from all over, doing his best to keep everyone updated. He and Stevie hash out the details for the upcoming several days, since she has volunteered to open the store starting tomorrow with Jocelyn’s help. Patrick had spoken to his father earlier in the day and discovered that his parents were already planning to help with the store. He and Stevie figure out a schedule for bank drops and trading turns at the store while ensuring that David always has someone with him at home, either Patrick himself with one of his parents or both his parents at home while Patrick takes a shift.

The thread with Alexis is keeping him busy, fending off her ever more insistent requests to send him photographic evidence of her brother’s well-being.

_Ugh! Just one! You said he’s sleeping, he’ll never know._

**No. David was very clear on this, Alexis. There is very little he has control over in regards to what happens to his body right now with all of the medical stuff, this is one thing he can control. I won’t go against his wishes.**

_It’s just for me, I promise. Please?_

**I’m sorry. You know we love you, but I also know that you haven’t always had David’s best interest in mind when posting things involving him on social media.**

_That’s not fair, you know that was totally an accident._

**And when I asked you to take it down?**

_Fine. Whatever. Has he said anything about when he might let us visit?_

**Not yet, but I’ll ask him once we get him home tomorrow. Right now he needs to know he has people with him who will be focused on his recovery. You know as well as I do that you guys tend to pull focus and he just needs some time.**

_Seriously?! When have any of us ever done that?_

**His birthday. When he was trying to announce our engagement.**

_But_

**Our bachelor party. Our _wedding_**.

_OMG FINE STOP. Now you’re making me feel guilty._

**Sorry.**

_It’s fine. Just keep me updated. I suppose it is his turn to take a selfish._

He sends a thumbs-up emoji in reply and settles back in the chair, thinking of how he can satisfy both siblings’ requests.

Stevie joins him as promised at half past four and grins when she sees that David is still asleep. She quietly makes her way over and covers her mouth, taking in the visible damaged parts of her best friend for the first time. “Fuck.”

Patrick stands and wraps an arm around her shoulders. “He’ll be okay,” he tells her softly.

She grunts in displeasure but heaves a sign. “Of course he chose black,” she points out the cast on David’s left arm. “Good thing I have silver Sharpies.”

He shifts her over to let her have the chair and takes a seat on the end of the bed instead, one hand resting on David’s covered foot. “You want to stay for dinner with us? My parents offered to bring something in and you’re welcome to join us.”

“Yeah, actually, that sounds great,” Stevie accepts the offer readily. “We had a round musical chairs with cars earlier, yours is back at your house and I’ve got mine here. Are you staying here again tonight or going home?”

“Home; my parents will take me back with them later,” Patrick confirms though his tone is a bit sad. “As much as I hate to leave him here alone, I know he’ll be fine and I want to make sure the house is ready. My parents will be staying with us for about a week, until David can be left on his own. Between the head injury, the cast, and those bruises, he’ll need some help getting up and down the stairs.”

“Not to mention personal hygiene,” Stevie smirks at him.

Patrick gives her an exaggerated wink. “I’ll be handling that solo. There’s only so much David will tolerate.”

“Don’t we all know it,” Stevie agrees with a sage nod.

“You are being very loud,” David whines as he shifts restlessly.

“Sorry, baby,” Patrick pats David’s foot. “But someone wanted to see you.”

David opens one eye. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Stevie grins at him. “You look better than I imagined.”

“Mmmm, that is a very kind thing to say,” David sarcastically replies.

Stevie snorts but then sobers. “You have no idea. Ronnie sent me pictures of your car after they towed it to Bob’s. That fucker had a solid frame, I can tell you that. You – shit,” she stops and takes a deep breath, clears her throat. “Okay, no talking about that. I came prepared.” At that, she whips the promised silver marker.

“And what do you plan to do with that?” David asks with narrowed eyes.

She stands and rounds the bed to stand on the other side, mindful of any monitor wires and equipment. The cap is popped off the pen and she wields it gleefully, but hesitates. “Is this okay?”

David heaves a dramatic breath but shifts his cast closer to the edge of the bed minutely. “If you must. Just – don’t put any weight on it or jostle my arm too much. They already warned me that I’ll have to be in a sling for the first week because of how heavy it can be pulling down on my shoulder.”

“You got it,” Stevie says quietly and gets to work with great care.

The three of them settle into a quiet conversation about nothing, catching up on town gossip and making fun of the latest additions to the café menu. Patrick shoots a quick text to his parents with their dinner requests and lazily strokes David’s lower leg as they talk.

After a while Clint and Marcy join them. Dinner is accompanied by light, comfortable chatter. Patrick keeps an eye on David, noting how little he actually eats but knowing that it’s a side effect of the concussion messing with his appetite. He makes a mental note to pick up some simple, easy-on-the-stomach foods when they hit the grocery store tomorrow prior to taking David home.

The doctor from the pain management team arrives with a nurse as they are finishing up so Stevie takes that as her signal to take her leave. The other three stay out of the way as he runs David through a series of questions, poking and prodding and moving David gently, the nurse jotting down notes as they work.

Clint, Marcy, and Patrick all pay close attention as the doctor explains what to expect and discusses his recommendations for prescriptions and their associated risks. While the nurse is disconnecting the IV and removing the catheter from his hand, David informs the doctor that Patrick will be in charge of his medications.

Patrick isn’t surprised at this pronouncement but he sees his parents shoot perplexed looks his way. He ignores them for now.

The staff finishes up and his parents follow them out to give Patrick some privacy to say goodnight to David.

David beckons Patrick closer with his now-untethered hand, so Patrick sits on the edge of the bed next to him. “You sure you’ll be okay tonight? I can stay if you – “

“Huh uh, nope, you need to get some real sleep, honey,” David says as he takes hold of Patrick’s left hand even though it is further away, rubbing his thumb over both of their wedding bands absently.

“Okay, David,” Patrick smiles, warm and loving. “Hey, my parents are probably going to ask me why you said that – about me managing your meds.”

David blinks owlishly. “Oh. Um, you can – you can tell them, that’s fine.”

Patrick lifts David’s hand and kisses the back. He is proud of how easily his husband displays his trust, his confidence in himself and his respected place among Patrick’s family. “Thank you.”

“Sure,” David gives him a smile he pulls to the side. “Okay, so I was afraid to look earlier but what the hell did Stevie write on my cast?”

They look down together and David laughs hard when he sees the huge letters in beautiful, swirling script spelling out _Warmest Regards_.

**

It is Marcy who cautiously brings up the question in the drive back to the cottage.

Patrick doesn’t hesitate. “It’s not really a secret, but I asked David if he was okay with me explaining. David – well, the whole family – have a history of opiate abuse. It was before they moved here and it’s basically public knowledge thanks to the Internet. When they arrived in town, David tells me that they basically spent the first few weeks going through withdrawal. David has been clean for years.” He chooses not to mention that time David took one of Patrick’s Vicodin after Patrick had wisdom teeth taken out; it was a one-time thing and they were careful to stay in control. “This is the first time since then that David’s been prescribed strong pain meds. He knows I trust him completely, but he doesn’t always trust himself.”

Marcy turns around to meet her son’s eyes. “Thank you for telling us, sweetheart. You know this doesn’t change anything, right? We love David no matter what.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Patrick says with a smile. “I know. So…uh, yeah. That’s why. It’s not a big deal. He’ll be honest about what he needs and we’ll work together to transition to over-the-counter stuff when he’s ready.”

“Just leave out a schedule for us to help him follow,” Clint pipes in. “We trust him, too.”

Patrick just nods and spends the rest of the ride home silent. The effortless way his parents show their unconditional love for his husband is often overwhelming and he needs time to let it wash over him.

**

The process of getting David home is much less eventful than Patrick anticipated. He adores his husband, loves him to the ends of the earth, but he also _knows_ him. But this is the first time he has experienced a version of David that is hurting, feeling fragile in a way he never has before. Patrick and one of the nursing staff help David change into an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants with only a bit of commentary. His arm goes into a matching black sling and Patrick drapes an unzipped hoodie over David’s shoulders.

David is quiet on the ride home as Clint drives. He grips Patrick’s hand across the backseat and rests his head back, eyes closed against the afternoon sun coming in through the window.

Finally home, Patrick keeps one hand firmly on David’s lower back and as soon as they’re inside he guides them toward the stairs to their room. “Dad? Can you – “

“Yep, right behind you,” Clint’s voice comes from behind him and Patrick can focus on getting David up the steps, knowing his father will be there with them.

“You know, I’m not completely helpless,” David reminds them but the tight grip his right hand has on the bannister betrays his uncertainty.

“Never said you were,” Patrick assures him as he presses a quick kiss to David’s left shoulder, too light to put pressure on the bruised muscle. “Almost there.”

Stepping into their room, Patrick sees that the covers on the bed have already been turned down and extra pillows added from the linen closet. He makes a note to thank his mom, who had stayed home while he and Clint had brought David home. The first stop is the bathroom where he sits David down on the closed toilet lid.

“I know you feel really gross right now but we’re not going to try the shower until tomorrow and that’s only if you feel up to it,” Patrick says as he gathers some of David’s things, lining them up on the counter next to the sink. “But we can take care of your face because I know you won’t be able to sleep if we don’t.”

David watches Patrick put the skin care products in the right order and Patrick sees David’s face contort in an effort to contain his emotions. “Mmhmm,” David manages and sucks in a quick breath.

Patrick just gives him a warm look and they make their way through a quick but much welcome version of the process. When he’s done, he gives David a lingering kiss before helping him stand. “Come on. Naptime. I’ll check on you in an hour and if you feel up to coming downstairs for dinner, we can make that happen.”

Once he’s got David tucked in comfortably and drops one last kiss on his lips, Patrick stands and turns to go. He looks up to see that Clint is leaning against the doorframe with a warm smile. Patrick breathes out a self-conscious laugh as he pulls the door most of the way closed behind him. He feels the welcome, solid presence of his father’s hand on his shoulder. “Good to have him home,” Clint says.

It’s not a question, but Patrick nods quickly. “Yeah, yeah it is.”

“You’re really good with him.”

Patrick shrugs and leads the way downstairs. “We’re good with each other.”

**

They settle into a comfortable rhythm and it is two more days before Patrick feels ready to spend the day at the store. David is steady on his feet and feeling well enough for the boredom to be settling in. He is under strict instructions to avoid too much time looking at screens as it could be a week or two before the post-concussion effects completely disappear. Together, he and Patrick cultivate a “recuperation” playlist for David to listen to around the house while Patrick leaves him in the very capable hands of Marcy.

Clint joins him at the store that day and together they catch up on the inventory, restocking, and other tasks that Patrick couldn’t handle over email.

Midday, the bell rings over the door and Patrick looks up to greet the customer, only to stop short when he realizes that it is Ronnie entering.

“Rose,” she somehow manages to give the same unimpressed weight to his married name as when she used to address him as _Brewer_. “See you finally dragged yourself in to mind your own store. That mean David’s doing better?”

Patrick huffs out a breathy laugh and nods, knowing the real reason for her visit. Not to torment him, but to check up on her favorite Rose. “Yeah, he’s doing good,” he tells her. “He should be given the green light to come back to work in another week or so. Listen, I hope you know how much I appreciate you calling me that day.”

“Uh huh,” Ronnie eyes him knowingly and turns her attention on Clint, who was watching this exchange with poorly concealed amusement. “He taking good care of David?”

Clint grins and nods once. “David couldn’t be in better hands.”

Ronnie sends a smirk Patrick’s way and he blushes at what her look implies at those words. “Is – is there anything I can get for you?”

“Nah,” Ronnie glances around once. “Just thought I’d stop in. Might need something in a week or so, you know?”

Patrick ducks his head with a chuckle as she echoes his estimate for David’s return. “I’m sure David will be happy to help in that case.”

“I’m sure he will.” With that, she exits with a half-assed wave in his general direction.

Clint walks up and thumps a hand on his son’s back. “Not a fan of yours, I take it?”

“I like to think of it as a friendly rivalry, but I’ve never really understood what we’re competing for besides baseball bragging rights. We’ve had some run-ins over the years but honestly, I think she’s just really protective of David. You should have seen her face when she heard we got engaged. Like she couldn’t believe he would willingly marry me.”

“Well, even if you can’t win her over, it was still nice of her to drop by.”

“Yeah,” Patrick agrees thoughtfully. She came in on a day when she knew David would still be at home recovering, that she would only be able to check up on him through Patrick. She knew only Patrick would be there that day, when she easily could have texted him. Instead, she made a point to come see him in person. To talk to him face-to-face, to see how Patrick himself was handling the stress of the situation.

He counts it as a victory.

**

“I finally got him to stop after eight months,” David exclaims as he rolls his eyes, taking another bite of his chicken. “Eight _months_ of monthly anniversary gifts! I threatened to replace all of his socks with these super thick, scratchy as fuck wool ones one of our vendors makes that I refuse to sell.”

Marcy and Clint laugh as Patrick shrugs unrepentantly. “I thought about starting up again with monthly engagement gifts but then I remembered that I still wanted you to marry me.”

“You are very lucky you didn’t.”

Clint points his fork at Patrick. “He’s been that way since he was little. Starting when he was six, he insisted on having us get him half-birthday gifts. I finally got him to stop when he turned 9. I told him that by his logic, he had now had 18 birthdays and he had better go start packing; he was an adult now and we were sending him to college. Patrick insisted that the halves didn’t count, but we said they did count because he had gotten presents. So, of course, he negotiated us down to stopping the half-birthdays, but more presents on his real birthday. Marcy countered by pointing out that each year he was already getting about a third more in gifts because of the increasing size of his clothes, books, and toys. Told him that if he wanted more presents he would need to stop growing.”

David’s eyes sparkle with glee as his smile dimples at Patrick. “Well, that certainly explains – “

“Finish that sentence only if you want to sleep on the couch,” Patrick cuts him off with a mock scowl.

“You would never be so cruel,” David shimmies happily.

Patrick tilts his head in consideration but admits that David is right. Turning to his mom, he asks, “You guys ready to head home tomorrow?”

“As ready as we can ever be,” Marcy tells him, her eyes going sad. “It’s been so wonderful to spend some time with you boys, even if the circumstances are ones we never want to repeat. You sure you don’t need us to stay a few more days?”

David drops his fork and reaches over to take her free hand, squeezing her fingers. “You have been amazing this last week and a half. Both of you. I can’t even tell you how much we’ve loved having you here. But we know you have your own lives to get back to and I’m feeling so much better now. I’ve got Patrick here to do the two-handed jobs and I’ll be back to work with him starting Monday.”

“And I’m sure you’ll appreciate having your privacy back,” Marcy smiles at him perceptively and stands to collect their empty dishes. 

“Well…that too,” David admits with a suppressed laugh.

**

Patrick finishes his nightly routine in the bathroom and starts to walk over to the bed where David is sitting up against the headboard, watching him approach with a glint in his eyes. He notes with growing interest that David hadn’t bothered with more than a pair of boxer briefs after his shower, the black cast on his left arm a sharp contrast to the rest of his bare skin. The bruising on his shoulder has faded to a barely-visible pale yellow, his covered hip much the same. Recognizing that look, he abruptly turns back to snag a hand towel from the rack and the still-damp washcloth nearby.

“Oh, well aren’t we just Mr. Prepared,” David tucks his smile to one side. “Are you expecting there to be a mess to clean up?”

“I live in hope,” Patrick grins and tosses the towels onto the nightstand, careful to not disturb the set of engagement rings that David had started wearing again a few days after coming home. The wedding ring was back on David’s left hand, where it belonged. Patrick sits on the bed and lets David pull him closer with a hand on his waist, humming happily when their lips meet.

“That’s the only way to live,” David grins into another kiss and tugs at Patrick’s shirt. “Get these off, I want to touch you.”

Patrick stands and shucks off his shirt and pajama pants, taking his underwear with them. With a sideways glance, he takes a moment to dig into the nightstand drawer. He sets the lube on the bed near the pillows that David is propped up against. Crawling up on his knees, he surges forward and captures David’s mouth again hungrily, wrapping a hand around the back of David’s neck to hold him there. “Missed this.”

“Me too,” David whispers and wriggles in place. “Help me get these off,” he starts to tug at his briefs, hindered by only having one hand to work with. He lifts his hips to let Patrick slide them off and toss them away to join the other clothes littering the floor. “Fuck, come here, you’re too far away.”

Patrick slides one leg over to straddle David’s thighs. They lose track of time as they kiss, touching wherever they can until finally it is Patrick that pulls back, gasping. He takes both of their erections in his hand and strokes them together slowly, dragging a sharp sound from David. “You tell me if you want to stop, okay?”

“Mmmhmmm, yes, I will, please don’t stop,” David pants into his shoulder, his right hand caressing Patrick’s hip. “Please, please.”

“You got it, let me take care of you,” Patrick drops a kiss on David’s forehead and reaches for the lube. He preps himself with practiced ease, David’s hand soothing him through the process and lazy kisses exchanged until he’s ready. More lube is added to his hand and he slicks David’s cock, loving the heat and heft of it in his palm.

Wiping his hand with the dry towel, he rises up on his knees and shuffles forward, reaching back to guide David’s cock into his entrance. He feels David’s hand join his and they both groan as the head breaches him. Patrick closes his eyes as he gradually takes David inside, until he’s fully seated and filled so perfectly. He rests his forehead on David’s shoulder and catches his breath.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” David whispers in an awed tone.

Patrick shifts and feels David’s right arm wrap around his waist, steadying him as they start to move together. His hands grasp at David’s shoulders and his palms are already slick with sweat. He buries his face in David’s throat and kisses his favorite spot, urgent little grunts escaping as his rhythm picks up.

He slides his arms back to grip the headboard and rides David hard, feels David’s arm tighten around him and the sharp thrusts up into him to meet his own. Too soon he feels the burn of orgasm in his belly and he reaches between them to tug at his own cock.

“Fuck, fuck, Patrick, I’m so close,” David pants into his collarbone and kisses him frantically. Patrick feels a shift as David bends his legs, planting his feet to give him leverage to fuck Patrick even harder.

Patrick’s orgasm shoots through him with shocking speed, his whole body shaking with it and he smothers his shout in David’s skin.

David follows him in seconds, the hand on Patrick gripping at his hip hard enough that Patrick knows he’ll be feeling it tomorrow. The fingers loosen and stroke him in apology but Patrick is feeling too sated to care.

There are lips on his throat and then his cheek, until he pulls back enough to accept the kiss on his lips. He looks at David and strokes his cheek. “You good?”

“So good,” David purrs and pulls him in for another lazy kiss. “Love you.”

“I love you so much, David,” Patrick tells him earnestly.

Eventually, Patrick has to pull up and they both groan at the sense of loss. He uses the damp cloth to clean them both up, then when he’s satisfied he wrangles David under the covers and curls up against David’s right side. He drifts asleep to the feel of David’s fingers peacefully stroking the hair on the back of his head.

It is the best night of sleep either has had in weeks.

**

Word travels fast in town because within an hour of David being back at work, manning the register on a stool that Patrick had borrowed from the café, Ronnie makes her way into the store.

Patrick can see how her face softens when she spots David. She picks up a random item from the center table and makes her way over to check out. “Good to see you back.”

“Good to be back, thank you,” David smiles at her genuinely. “From what they tell me you were the first to find me. So, thank you. For getting help, for staying with me, and for calling Patrick.”

Ronnie waves off his thanks. “Don’t worry about it, kid. I’m just happy to see you back on your feet. Patrick been taking good care of you?”

David grins and looks toward his husband with love shining in his eyes. “Absolutely.”

**

End


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